Don't Stop Me Now
by Beautiful Allusion
Summary: Band AU. The band has completed their first major show. They're a hit and everyone is exhilirated by the adrenalin rush, but it's best mates Arthur and Merlin who stay behind. Minor Slash.


**Disclaimer: **All recognisable characters and plot lines are property of the original owners and creators, I make no profit from this story and no copyright infringement is intended.

**A/N: **I woke up this Christmas morning and this just poured out. I apologise for any mistakes, they are mine and mine alone as there was no beta. I hope you enjoy and have a very happy holiday season and new year no matter what you celebrate or believe in. Much love x

**Don't Stop Me Now**

Arthur couldn't help laughing as he carried himself from the stage, the sheer elation of the crowd coursing through his veins as they chanted over and over again for their encore. It was almost surreal the type of success they were feeling, unbelievable that they'd been touring for almost a year now. Somewhere in the back of his brain he couldn't help but wonder if it would all last, but the much larger part of it was running on pure adrenalin, telling him he'd never get old, never lose his looks, always be adored.

"Oh my god! Can you believe it!" He could hear Gwen shrieking slightly hysterically from somewhere off to his side as his hands gripped at the sides of his head and he laughed again, "they loved us! We have our own following now!"

Morgana, or as much of her as he could see through his peripheral vision, was smiling smugly and knowingly down at Gwen, elated in her own way, but still much more focused than the others on the fact that this was their first real solo show, the first of their solo tour.

"There's a lot more to come," she said soothingly as Arthur grabbed at the water bottle that had been thrust towards him, "this is the first of many shows, and I just want to make sure we always do this well. We should really cool down so when we go back out later it lasts."

"Oh shut it would you, Morgana?" Arthur couldn't shake his intense mood and although he meant every word he was saying his inability to stop smiling and his sheer adrenalin high were making his words lose all of their usual tones and implications, "we were fantastic, we're always fantastic, now let's go do something stupid and reckless to celebrate, right Merlin?"

As soon as the name slipped from Arthur's mouth he realised that their lead guitarist seemed shockingly absent for some reason. His usual and constant chatter had yet to be heard, and not one glimpse of his oddly large ears had come to Arthur, peripheral vision or no.

"Merlin?" Arthur turned around suddenly quite sober, looking for his long time friend. They had started the band together at the age of sixteen, both sitting in Arthur's room on his bed, clad in the all the rage band T-shirts and cuffs of the time.

Of course back then, neither of them had the ability to play an instrument at all, and Merlin could read music, but it was a lost cause for someone who didn't know where his fingers had to sit to make the notes come out right. Yet sitting there listening to Queen's _Crazy Little Thing Called Love_ come out of Arthur's rather large and expensive speakers they had decided to do it. And do it they had.

"Merlin? Mate?" Arthur spun around but saw nothing but the blurry outline of Morgana as she stared at him with her arms across her chest, glaring as his half-sister usually did. Gwen was still towards the high side of elated and Morgana, obviously sick of Arthur's presence and general behaviour took her by the arm, leading her from the wings off the side of the stage and out through the exit to their dressing rooms.

"Merlin!" Arthur finally shouted, exasperated as he spotted his skinny friend loitering near the edge of the stage, clad in all black as he usually was and sporting what their latest rave review had dubbed the world's hottest sex hair, "mate, what are you doing?"

The elation was back as Arthur moved closer towards the stage, ignoring that part of him that whispered to himself in Morgana's snotty little voice that he was strutting. He was ludicrously happy, and that same dim part of his brain from earlier mentioned that maybe there was something wrong with him for that, but he brushed it off.

"Merlin, come on," Arthur placed a hand on his arm as he pulled up beside him, grinning like an idiot and still feeling the energy of the crowd coursing through his veins, sinking in his bones, "Merlin!"

For a second Arthur remembered a fight they'd had once a long time ago, long before they had begun touring as an opening act, so long before they had done group shows and now their own. HE felt his own voice shouting 'Merlin! Merlin, how dare you!', but the memory wasn't as strong as his best mates presence, and as best mates, their fights had never lasted long and were never really relived.

"Arthur?" Merlin turned towards him with a matching grin and they both stare at each other for a second, laughing and revelling in what they've achieved, "we did it!"

Merlin's voice has taken on that high pitched squealing quality that only comes out when he's really excited and Arthur, in all his good humour, doesn't have the heart to pick on him like he usually does. They can hear the crowd cheer for their closing act, a small band they had picked up somewhere along the line, and thought to give a chance because they reminded themselves of where they came from, and it was like a new rush, like they were screaming for them again.

Arthur barked out another sharp laugh as they watched the young starters finish up their song, and in the rush turned to Merlin again, hands gripping the sides of his face to share his enjoyment. It was electric what the crowd could do to Arthur, and he could feel it all round them, grinning like an idiot he leant forward and mashed his lips to Merlin, pulling back and laughing again.

Merlin laughed with him, a hand coming up to rest on Arthurs wrist as his hands still gripped at the brunettes face, and with a nod, Arthur decided that was alright.

*Title taken from the Queen song of the same name. Check it out!


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